Cutter-wheel for ensilage-cutters.



T.S.LANGFORD. CUTTER WHEEL FOR ENSILAGE CUTTERS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT-13, $916.

Dfil 0'0 Ho 0 o i E B I L main ine; i

m PATENT We.

' 1 Specification. of LettersLPatent.

,"TPII-IERON sr nnnawi i naneronn, or AN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, AssIeNon TO ANN Anson. Meo I Nn COL/CRANK ARBOR, MIcnIeaN; A CORPORATION or MICHIGAN.

- CUTTEB WHEEL non ENsILAen-c r'r ns;

rammed neei re it.

Y application filed septemter 13,1916. serialna laeeo.

T0 allwhomi tindy mam: Beit known that I, THERON SPARHAWK "Laneronmia citizenoftheiUnited States of America, residing at Ann Arbor, in the countyof .Washtenaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain'new and; useful Improvements in Cutter-Wheels for En silage-Cutters, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to fan wheels for silo fillers or other ensilage cutters, although the invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the particular use mentioned.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a construction in which the cutting elements are mounted at one side of the spider frame and a rotating disk upon the opposite side of the spider frame with c0- operating fan blades or the like located in a plane between the plane of the cutting elements and the plane of the disk; to provide a construction in which the cut material that passes between the knife blades is prevented from hitting against a stationary or dead wall, there being preferably a rotating disk member associated with the cutting elements and the fan blades.

The invention also resides in such other features of construction and arrangements and combinations of parts as will more fully hereinafter appear.

1n the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a fan wheel embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, with part of the housing shown in section.

In detail A designates the rotating shaft upon which is mounted the skeleton frame or spider B. The latter has a plurality of main arms such as C, C and C Each of the arms carries a knife bladeor cutting member D and the arms are so spaced from each other as toprovide openings E through be tied or secured together as to strengthen each the other. Thus in addition to carrymgrheknife blades I), each of the arms of the spider-frame has one or more bearing portions to which are secured the fan elements. 'In the partlcular construction shown, each of the spider arms has provi' sion for carrying two fan elements. The fan elements G are preferably formed separate-from the spider and are secured to suit- .able bearing portions thereon by rivets H or other securing members. Also each of the fan elements is provided with a remov-.

able tip Gr whereby any particular fan tip can be replaced at very slight cost and without affecting the balance of the wheel.

It will be noticed that the fan elements are positioned intermediate the plane of the knife blades and the plane of the disk or header F, and being riveted to both the spider and the disk, they form in effect a truss reinforcement between these parts. In addition to strengthening the spider frame the disk or header F acts as an abutment wall against which the cut material strikes. This materially reduces the friction since the cut material is prevented from striking against the stationary or dead wall of the housing J. By making the disk of a size to extend to the outer edge of the fan elements, all danger of the material catching or binding between the housing and the moving fan wheel is avoided and all danger of obstruction of the material and friction between the material and the mechanism substantially eliminated, but on the contrary providing a surface that is rotating in the direction in which the material is to be thrown, thus aids in the advancement of the material through the casing. The disk also provides a safeguard from getting into the operating parts from the pulley side of the wheel and avoids the necessity of employing gratings or other separate guard members.

A further advantage is derived from the fact that in my improved wheel the mounting for the fan elements is such that a greater number of the fan tips than cutting elements can be employed. Thus in the construction shown in the drawings, there are three knife blades and six fan elements although the invention is not limited to the particular number or proportion stated. Also while I have shown the knife blades and fan elements carried by the spider and the disk employed as a strengthening header,

the invention is not necessarily limited to thisv particular, arrangement, asa separate moving disk independent, of the; other ele-.

ments might be employed to obtain some of the advantagesabove enumerated, and other changes in the construction and arrange ment of parts could be madewithin the scope of my invention.

What I claim as my invention is: .A cutter wheel for ensilage cutters'comprising a rotating spider having spaced arms, cutting elements carried bysaid spider andar'ranged so that the cut material passes copies of this patent may be obtained for ing located in spaced-apart planes, and fan elements for throwing the cut material, said fan elements being carried by said spider and located in a plane positioned intermediate the planes of the cutting elements and 26 disk. v In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

THERON SPARHAWK LANGFORD.

five cents each, by addressing-f the commissioner of Iatentt, Washington, D. 0." 

